Shoot for the Moon

 As I stated in an earlier post I spent the last six months working at  the local high school  as a substitute teacher.  For me teaching science was a new challenge. It has been a long time since I have had to think in science terms, so I definitely needed to brush up.  I would spend my evenings doing my homework to make sure I was ready to teach the  next day. I can say it was a learning curve for me, putting lesson plans together, finding fun and educational labs and making sure they learn at least something in the class. But what I didn't expect was what they would teach me.

We have been out of school for two weeks now and I am slowly getting settled down to what I thought was a normal routine. I have found I really do miss the classes. High school kids are a challenge, some know what they want to do in life, some are just trying to figure it out and some are just trying to making it each day. I told them from the first day I was there "That you can do anything you want to do if you want to do it.". That implied to their grades as well as everything else. Shoot for the moon if you miss you are still in the stars. I wanted to challenge them to give me a little more effort than they thought possible.

At each six weeks test I would tell them that their grades would depend upon if I stayed or not. It was not the administrations rules but mine, but I didn't tell the students this. I felt if they were not learning then they needed someone else to teach them. Each six weeks they did a little better on their class averages. But it was not until school was out and I was speaking to a parent that I found out how they would come to her house to study for the test. They did not want to lose me. They said I made learning fun. This alone would make anyone feel they were doing a good job  The other thing they said was that I told them to reach for what they wanted and they would always be a success. They were.

They made me realize that I should follow my own advise. I should reach for my dreams, my hopes and do the best of my ability. I too should shoot for the moon and that it is alright to miss because I will always be in the star.

So I challenge you reach for you dreams, do the best of your ability and shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will still be in the stars and will have tried. If you do not try where will you be?

Have a very bless day!

The Garden

It is hard to believe it has been a year since we moved into our new house. Well the house was new to us. So many changes have occurred, my favorite is the garden. We made a few raised beds in late April. Starting with two 4 x 4 beds and then added two more in the middle of May.

I started with a few plants that were already up and growing from the home improvement store. I am not sure this was my best choice. I have always grown my plants from seeds, except tomatoes and peppers.  I planted cucumber, summer squash, basil, parsley and tomato plants. I managed to keep alive one cucumber, the basil, summer squash and the tomato plants. The rest well lets just say I planted seeds.

Here are a few of our first harvest.

It is a great start to what I am hoping is a wonderful gardening season. Now that school is out I can devote my energy into more regular post and updates. I have a few new ideas for the Tabby Cat on etsy as well.

Here is a center piece design I am working on. I have a few details to work out before I list it





Until next time I wish you a very blessed day!

The new

It has been a wonderful year so far!!! I have been substitute teaching at the local high school since November of last year for a teacher who became very ill. She is not much older than myself and it was a great wake up call for me.  I set goals to complete something new at least once a month this year. I want to do something that will improve my life, the life of my family and friends. In January I started on me...a fitter me. I walk as much as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. I am eating healthier as well. Making conscious choices of what  and when I eat is a big thing and I am noticing how much better I feel.

For the month of February, I am working on new ideas for my shop, The Tabby Cat on ETSY.  I have many ideas to implement in the coming months ahead. My ideas are centered around the home and garden. I feel your home should be a haven from the outside world, a place to really enjoy. I hope my new items will be great additions to your home as well.

I am so looking forward to spring. I am ready to be outside and working in the garden. I am a great fan of honey and have thought about becoming a beekeeper. I have been reading books on beekeeping. I thought they would be a wonderful addition to the garden, as wells as providing honey for my tea and bee wax for my crafts. I would appreciate any thoughts or information on how to become a successful beekeeper.

Have a very blessed day.

New Year, New Thoughts

I have been giving a lot of thought on how I want to approach 2012. Approach is really not the correct term, I think maybe attack it the best way to describe how I want to go into everything in 2012.  I want to be a better me.  Being a better me will make me better for everyone else in my life as well as all of my projects. 

I have several goals to approach this year. I plan to start new goals for my life every month. My first goal is that I want to be health, take good care of myself.  I know if I take care of myself then I can take care of the others in my life. So I have started a workout schedule. I set the goal to run a 5K by the end of the year. It is only 3 miles I keep telling myself and I can do anything for 3 miles. No I have never been a runner but I would like to say that I have made that milestone.  For me it would be a milestone. I would like to lose some weight as most set for new year goals but my main goal is to be healthy and to feel great. So my goal for January is to exercise and establish it as a routine. I will keep you posted on my progress.

I wish for everyone a blessed New Year and challenge you to be the best you that you can be.

Great 2011

As the end of the year approaches it is a great time to look back over the events last year.  I have had an amazing year. Many things have taken place during his past year.  For one we relocated from the country to a city about 84 miles away.

I discovered many thing during the packing and moving. It  gives you time to look at the possession one keeps. I found that I had a large amount of items I really didn't use or even want any more.This was the perfect time to clear our lives from this clutter. That is an amazing feeling.

I have the new project of redecorating the new house. It has been a fun project creating a new look on a budget. Working with a very limited amount of money challenges my creativity and I love the challenge. The house we purchased has a really good base to work with, it just needs a little updating.. It is awesome what a can of paint can do. With just a few minor changes I have updated a large portion of the main floor. I still  have the kitchen and the upstairs bath to tackle this coming year.

I have been experimenting with new items for The Tabby Cat shop.  I am my worst critic but many of these new items will be making an appearance in the coming months.

Our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were amazing. Our children were all able to be home for both holidays. I cherish these times. I know there may be a time when they are too far away to be able to travel for the holidays or we need to share them with their spouses family. For now I will cherish each and everyday I have them all together. They are so much fun.

I have reflected on the past year and I see just how blessed we have been. I cherish my family, friend, each and everyday. During the coming days I will plan for the things I would like to accomplish in the year to come.


I want to thank each of you for following along with me this past year. I wish for you a very blessed year to come.

The Tabby Cat

Christmas Break

I have spent the last 7 weeks substitute teaching at the local High School. I am as ready as the students are for Christmas break.  Two and a half days left and then I will be putting everything into high speed to finish up for Christmas.

I love this time of year. Normally I like to have everything wrapped and ready. Well this year everything seems to be in a catch up mode. I can't say I didn't know it was coming I have had 365 days notice. As the sign in my classroom says "Due Dates are closer than they seem." I know  everything will be completed in time well at least before Christmas eve and that is the due date. The tree is up and decorated, and all 8 stockings are hung and I have made some of the favorite Christmas treats. Now just to survive until break.


I hope to have time to list some of the new items in the shop before the end of the weekend so keep watching.

Have a very very blessed day!

It is hard to believe it has been so long since my last post.  I had good intentions of keeping on top of my blog.  Well December is here and I am just now getting to it. 

So much has been going on in our lives over the last 8 months.  We have moved 90 miles to our new house. No longer do I live in the country but a nice residential neighbor hood.  I have been doing some painting, updating and tried to do a little gardening.  But with the hot, dry Texas heat this summer it was a battle.  I traded some of our wildlife for new. I no longer have deer eating my trees now I have rabbits and squirrels to contend with. I will say the birds I have to watch are beautiful.  There are Cardinals, Red Birds, Blue Jays and many more.  I will post some pictures soon.

I have added a few new items to the Tabby Cat and hope to have more for that last minute Christmas shopper.  My wonderful husband gave me a new sewing machine for my birthday and I have been having so much fun trying out new ideas. 

Until later I want to wish each of you a very bless day.